News in brief

Paris to help Venezuela develop nuclear power

France is willing to help Venezuela develop a civilian nuclear power programme, the countries' foreign ministers said yesterday. The French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, also said that France would like to use Venezuela... a staunch critic of the United States... as a go-between with Iran in discussions about its nuclear programme, but Iran had so far proved unreceptive. Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro said at the start of two days of talks in Paris that humanity's future depended, in part, on going nuclear. Kouchner said any civilian nuclear power programme would have to have exclusively peaceful goals.Associated Press in Paris

Alcoholic milk saves driver from guilty verdict

A court in Kazakhstan has dropped drink-driving charges against a man after it emerged that he had been drinking fermented mare's milk. The milk drink, called kumys, is believed to have health-giving properties in Kazakhstan and is not classified as an alcoholic beverage, although it can contain up to 4% alcohol. The man, identified as R Iskendirov, told the court he had drunk 1.5 litres (2.5 pints) for medicinal purposes before getting behind the wheel in June. When he produced a doctor's prescription for a daily ration of kumys, the court dropped the charges.Associated Press in Almaty

24 killed after attackers target morning prayers

Suicide bombers targeted Shia worshippers as they left morning prayers yesterday at two Baghdad mosques, killing 24 people and injuring more than 50 others, police said. In a separate attack, gunmen shot dead six Sunnis in a minibus in the mainly Shia town of Wajihiya, 60 miles north of Baghdad. The two children, three women and one man were on their way to visit relatives, police said. Another woman and her child were injured. The bombings in Baghdad occurred as Shia worshippers were celebrating Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan. No group claimed responsibility.Associated Press in Baghdad